May 25th practice – music format change

Starting with the May 25th practice and occurring every fourth Wednesday thereafter, the music format will change. It will follow the same format used for silver and above practices but to be clear, this practice is open to ALL members.

The first hour, from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. will be all standard, the following hour will be all Latin. Typically, four to five of the same dance style will be played before moving on to the next. As an example four to five Waltzes will be followed by four to five Tangos and so on. Viennese Waltz and Paso Doble are the exception and usually only two or three are played.

The advantage to this type of format is the ability to truly practice the figures you know. While this may be new for many of you, I would encourage you to at least give it a try.

Hope to see you there,

Michael Kittel

Spring Classes are posted!

Spring classes are up! You can find them listed by level here.

Monday’s Intermediate and Friday’s Pre-Bronze/Bronze classes with Liz at CUC will continue. We have added a Pre-Bronze class on Mondays for Intermediate students who are ready to move up. Gold+ Foxtrot and Rumba classes with Victor return but we have moved them to Thursdays in the Dance Studio at CUC. The Newcomer classes with Victor have been combined into a single class on Saturdays at CHR.

We are hosting Intro to Ballroom Workshops on Thursday evenings with Victor in the Dance Studio at CUC before the Gold+ classes get rolling. We are also hosting Workshops with Victor geared towards Newcomers teaching Quickstep, West Coast Swing and Salsa. Those will be held at CUC and CHR. As well, we have invited Adam to teach a Latin Technique and Styling workshop set to run for four weeks and Saturdays at CHR.

We hope that everyone can find something is this line-up that will appeal to them.

As always, if you have any questions, please email classes@vbds.org

Happy Dancing,

Michael Kittel

For Sale / Seeking page

We have added a new page to our website, a page for those with dance related items to sell and correspondingly, for those in need.

You can check it out here.

If you have something to sell, please send an email with pic(s) and the particulars, we’ll post it and hope we can connect two motivated parties.

Mask requirements

As you have probably heard by now, the current PHO mandating indoor masking for most activities, has been lifted effective March 11, 2022. In anticipation of this, your Board of Directors discussed the club policy at last nights monthly meeting. The Board unanimously agreed that club policy should reflect current PHO guidelines in effect.

Venues we rent, can set their own policy. I have contacted, CHRC, CUC, ROWI and GUC. So far CHRC and ROWI have responded and their policy is to follow the PHO guidelines. Therefore, masking is no longer required during Saturday classes, Wednesday or Sunday practices at Cedar Hill Rec Centre or Thursday practices at Royal Oak Women’s Hall.

As I hear back from the other venues I will update this post.

We ask everybody to be respectful of the personal choice other members make regarding masking or not.

Question or concerns, please email: president@vbds.org

Thank you, Michael Kittel

Thursday practices at ROWI Hall

We have decided to discontinue Friday night practices in the gym at Centennial United Church.

Practices will now take place Thursday nights at the Royal Oak Women’s Institute Hall at 4516 W Saanich Rd, Victoria, BC V8Z 3G4

Practice times will remain the same, 7:00 to 9:00 pm

No more capacity limits & social dancing is back!

Quite a day for us dancers. The hoped for lifting of capacity limits for our practices happened but the big news is that after nearly two years, social dancing is allowed.

No more capacity limits means we don’t have to encourage pre-registration but, we still need to take attendance per our Covid Safety Plan agreement with each venue. To make less work for our volunteers, we would really appreciate it if you did continue to register for practices.

On the social dancing side, my hope is that we can organize something asap. Historically most of the club dances were held at Les Passmore Centre near Tillicum Mall. I will contact them to see if, with the lifting of most social restrictions, they will allow us back. Other venues have included Sannich Commonwealth and Cedar Hill Rec Centre. Saturday nights at Cedar Hill are unavailable until March 26th at the earliest.

As you know, I’ve harped on the need for volunteers and hosting a social dance requires volunteers as well. We have all the accessories but we need people to organize it, set it up and tear it down. Dance committee volunteers and day-of dance volunteers are needed. Please email: admin@vbds.org

Thank you,
Michael Kittel

Classes for January, February and March are up!

Read more

Practice in the Gym at Centennial United Church on Friday, January 21st

We are back! The start will be a little rough but at least we have one venue to practice in.

Centennial United Church has given us permission to restart classes and practices. Our first, all levels practice will be this Friday, from 7-9PM in the Gym.

All the same protocols:

  • masks on while in the building,
  • proof of vaccination using the Covid passport and
  • everyone must sign in.